Cursed Blood, True Souls
by Nikaya
Summary: A few years after graduation, the curse has returned. Kyo, after breaking his bracelet, is now in the True Form and ran away from home. When the curse begins to take hold of the next generation of Sohmas, Akito is starting to die with the return of the curse. But when he has a vision, he contacts the one person destined to find Kyo and save the family. (Plot focuses on Kyo.)
1. Chapter One: Revealed

**So this is my first Fruits Basket story, and as most of you have already read this chapter, I reworked it entirely because when I went back and read it, I had to slap myself. It was extremely childish and probably the reason the story hasn't gotten more views. So here is the first chapter, redone. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Oh, and the main character Nick, yes, she is the same one from Spiritflame (ny ongoing Avatar: The Last Airbender fic) and Nicki Spirit (my Danny Phantom fanfic). Just a different story.**

Chapter One: Revealed

I dropped my ninjutsu gear on bathroom floor. I looked into the mirror and wrung out my soaked-through hair.

I'd just gotten home from a rough day at practice (grappling was never my thing), and the walk home in the rain helped so much.

My eyes were deepened from exhaustion with my bright blue eyes always making my face glow, no matter my mood. When my hair was finally dry, I flipped it back, revealing my sable blonde locks never faded.

"Nick?" my mom called from downstairs.

"Just a minute! I just got home!" I called back with a groan. I was frustrated enough. What did she want?

"There's a letter here for you!"

"Is it from Maryland University?" My dream school. It was summer before junior year and I was constantly trying to get in touch with them.

"It's from Japan!" There was a pause, and I did a double take. _Japan? Maybe my mangas came? _"I think it's from a friend or something!" I had no friends from Japan.

I hung up my black leather jacket on the shower door and pulled on a warm pair of socks. I slid down the railing of the stairs and appeared in front of my mom.

"How many times do I need to tell you not to do that?" I took the letter from hand. I read my name, addressed to "Miss Nicolette Mente" in a beautiful cursive. It was obvious that it was handwritten with a calligraphy pen. Then I read the return address.

My breathing stopped cold.

"How many times?!"

"What?" I snapped my head up.

"The railing! I swear, I'm going to ground you for life!"

"I'm sorry, okay?! I got excited is all!" My mother and I were constantly fighting. Maybe it was because we were the only two people in the house, yet we were so distant.

She sighed and returned to the kitchen. I stared at the letter again and raced back up the stairs. I flung open the door to my room and flopped on the bed, just staring at that name on the return address.

"Sohma residence," I read aloud. I was in awe.

I tore open the letter, my hands shaking. There were several papers that came folded up. The first started with "Dear Miss Mente."

I struggled to control my breathing. My kitten, Kiara, strolled into the room and leapt onto the bed next to me. I started to pet her, trying to calm my nerves like I always do with her. She was white with an orange back and ringed tail. She was small for a cat her age, about two years old, and her head looked as if she wore a mask, also orange. She was purring now, and licked my nose. I started to read.

"Dear Miss Mente,

Do not be alarmed by my name." I had to pause for a second. "I am Akito Sohma, head of the Sohma household. You may have read tales about my family, my way of life, my home. But do not fear. I have a task for you."

I stopped and thought for a second. Why were they written about? How could this have been true? Was it just that no one believed it? They were supposed to live a small town, I suppose... But really? No one has found out? This was all real?

I continued reading.

"What you read was indeed true...but only to a certain extent. Tohru, Kyo and Yuki did graduate, but the story did not stop there. The epilogue you have read in your precious manga, was not true. The night of their graduation party, everything changed for our family. The details of the night will be recounted another time, but for now, what you need to know is that Kyo is missing."

He wants me to find Kyo? _Akito _fricken _Sohma_ wants _me_ to find _Kyo Sohma. _...You've gotta be kidding me.

"And the reason why this has us all concerned, other than the fact that he is gone...is that whatever took place on the night of graduation caused the curse to return... But not in my generation. It is occurring in the _next _generation of Sohmas... And sadly, one of them had to be placed in your care."

I put the letter down slowly.

Kiara was looking up at me, purring away as usual. She leaned over and bit my nose gently, like a little love bite she tends to do. My eyes hardened.

"The kitten placed in your care, is in fact, a Sohma. You found her as a rescue on purpose. We made sure to place her in your care until the time came when we could call on you for help.

"The curse has changed now. This new version of the curse has its members stuck in their animal form. Or in Kyo's case...the True Form. But the kitten you possess is another cat. She is the child of Tohru and Yuki Sohma."

That might explain why Kyo is gone... I read on.

"Your training has done you well. You are approaching your black belt test. That was also not a coincidence. Everything in your life starting with your cat has prepared you for what is to come. We have prepared you for this moment. And as you read this letter, your flight is being scheduled for Japan. You leave in one week, the day after your black belt test. Further instructions will be explained upon arrival. You will be staying with Yuki, Tohru and Shigure Sohma. Be sure to bring Kiara. Enclosed is a letter, explaining that your graduating class has been offered to do an exchange program for the summer. However, I cannot guarantee your arrival home at the end of the summer. What I can promise you is that you are bringing one friend whom I have already sent the letter with an explanation and a phone number to call if they have any questions. The other papers are your ticket, your camp letter, a packing list, etc. If you refuse this task, then it will lead to the death of my family...Kiara included."

I stopped and looked up at Kiara's big, orange eyes.

"I hope to see you soon, Miss Mente."

I set the letter down, dumbfounded. Let me be the one to tell you, that doesn't happen very often. I just sat there, thinking about who I'd find, and what I'd do to get Kyo back. I couldn't believe that the manga I loved so much was true...

And for one reason or another, I became a part of it.

But why me? Why was I picked? And I had to guess that Brie, my best friend, would be the one to come with me. Of course, she was just as obsessed with the story as I was, and I had to wonder if she got a letter from Akito explaining everything too.

I thought about ninjutsu and the original reason I signed up. I wanted a lot of things out of it, and I had gotten everything I wanted. I wanted to be able to protect myself, being one of the smallest girls in my grade. I wanted proper control of my anger, which I learned quickly, now having complete emotional stability. And I wanted a way to just be myself, and I had found that with this art form. I knew now how much it really did train me and show me a new way of living.

This was it. This was my moment to shine. I was going to be able to save a life...the life of a person I didn't even realize existed. Someone who's whole story was read over and over again. I knew this person. It wasn't just about going to Japan and finding him. It was about saving the life of a close friend.

This was personal.

Just then, the phone rang.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you get the letter?"

"Yep."

"Are we dreaming?"

"Only one way to find out." I looked over at Kiara who meowed in my face. "We're going to Japan."


	2. Chapter Two: Go

**Yes, I also reworked this chapter a bit. I felt it was necessary to make this one better as well, so I hope you enjoy re-reading **

**Chapter Two: Go**

"Are you sure you have everything?" My mom asked me as I was called to the gate. Brie and I were ready to go. Everything was in place, and Kiara was in my duffle bag. I passed my black belt test with flying colors, and I was ready to go.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said with a moan. She's so overprotective...

Brie snickered as she hugged her family goodbye.

"Oh, shut up, Brie."

"Awww come on! It's funny!" she said, laughing. Her brown eyes glowed and her chocolate curls bounced as she spoke.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes.

Then I turned to my mom who was forcing back tears...typical.

"Have a good time, ok? Love you."

"Love you too." She kissed me on the head and I pulled away. "Come on, Brie. Let's go."

"Alright!"

"Bye, Mom," I said with a wave. Brie and I walked down the long hallway and onto the plane. Thankfully, Akito decided to pay first class for us. We sat down in huge leather seats with plenty of stretching room. I sat down in the window seat and Brie sat to my right.

"This is nice..." I said, looking around.

"Yeah! It's great! Oh, you should check on Kiara."

"Right." I unzipped the duffle bag and pet her behind the ear. She purred and curled up in a little ball.

"She's so cute!" Brie squealed. I shook my head.

"Okay, let's see," I said, checking the bag. "You have your treats, food, and the wee-wee pad is lining the bag, so you should be okay for the first few hours. I'm just thanking God that we stop in California and Hawaii. That way I can let you go sometime." I zipped the bag almost closed but gave enough room to breathe.

"Excuse me, Miss?" a flight attendant said to me.

"Oh! Uh...yes?"

"You have to put your bag under the seat."

"Oh right! I'm sorry. I was just getting my...pillow!" I reached in and grabbed the pillow quickly. I zipped the bag up and put it on the floor.

"Thank you," she said, walking away.

"Kiara's not gonna like this..."

"Well, she'll have to. She'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Yeah..."

_..._

_Where am I? Is this...a forest? All I see are trees and bushes...and rain._

_I'm running through the rain, feeling a need to find something...someone..._

_Suddenly, something grabs my shoulder and I get thrown onto the cold, muddy floor of the forest. I blink my eyes through the rain and see a creature with glowing red eyes._

_It lunges at me, and I scream._

"AHHHHH!" I sat straight up and look around, frantically. I breathed heavily, wondering what happened.

"Nick, you okay?" Brie asked me. She pulled her headphones off and put a hand on my shoulder. "That was a loud scream."

"Huh? Oh... Yeah, I'm fine." I look around and realize that I'm on the plane still. Then I heard a baby start crying and the snoring behind me stops.

"We're landing soon. Only another half hour."

"Oh, good." I look away, out the window. It's sunset, and I watch as the sun goes down under the clouds.

"Are you alright?" Brie asked me. "Was it another nightmare?" She then lowered her voice. "Was it the creature again?"

"Yeah... It was."

"What do you think it is? It's been bothering you for months now."

"I know, I know. I just... I'm not afraid of it. I feel like I should know what it is..."

"Well, until then, why don't you just lay back and relax. We stop in California soon."

"Okay..."

_..._

"Finally!" I shout.

"Helloooooo Japan! WOOOOO!" Brie exclaims. I roll my eyes at her. "I can't believe we're finally here! And on this mission too!"

"Yeah, it's awesome," I reply, dryly.

"Yeah..." Brie agreed. "But how are we gonna find Kyo? He could be anywhere!"

"Well, we know where to start." I pulled out the piece of paper from the back pocket of my jeans. "132 Tomoko Avenue. That's where we'll find Kiara's parents."

"I can't believe Yuki's married! And to Tohru! Come on!" Brie complained. "Yuki was the hot one!"

"Oh, shut up will you? Hatsuharu's with Rin too." I looked around and saw a sign with Japanese and English on it. "At least I took Japanese as a second language. But wait a second... If they're all married... That doesn't follow the books at all. I mean, Tohru was supposed to marry Kyo and grow old with him, right?"

"Damn it! You spoiled it for me!"

"Oops," I said, shrugging. "But still. It doesn't make any sense... And how old are they?"

"No clue. The books were written years ago, so they could be following that."

"Wait...then they'd be old!" Brie yelled.

"No! I mean before the epilogue!"

"Ohhhhh! Yeah..."

I facepalmed. "Whatever. Okay, then how old would they be? I mean, some of them even have kids!"

"I know. It's weird."

"Unless they got married straight out of high school," I said with a shudder.

"I'm not really one for that sorta thing..." Brie added.

"Neither am I. Oh!" I unzipped my duffle bag a bit and Kiara looked up at me groggily. "Alright. Let's grab our bags and get a taxi."

I led us to the baggage claim area one floor below. Brie found her bag quickly, and I was just about to pull mine off the belt when someone grabbed the bag at the same time.

I looked up and saw him standing there.

Shigure himself.

Now, try to picture this one...an anime character, standing before you as a real person. There was no other way of describing it. He was exactly as anyone would picture him as a real person. It was incredible.

"Would you happen to be Miss Nicolette Mente?" he asked me in fluent Japanese. The sudden change in language could me slightly off-guard. He didn't sound like his English voice actor. I guessed that he would have had his own voice, but it was strange.

"Yes, sir. And this is my friend Brie Amore. We're visiting here from the United States," I said as clearly in Japanese as I could muster.

"Wow. I'm surprised at how fluent you are. I'm sorry, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shigure Sohma. And I believe that you'll be staying in my home for awhile."

"Yes sir," I said bowing.

"And I believe there is one more accompanying you, am I correct?"

"Oh! Yes!" I unzipped my bag and held Kiara. "Kiara, do you remember Shigure?" She looked up at him for a moment and started purring. "She does that a lot. Do you want to hold her?"

"I'd love to." Shigure held out his arms, and she jumped into them, rubbing her face into his shoulder.

"Are you girls ready to go?"

Brie and I looked to each other and nodded.

"Ready."

...

"Here we are," Shigure said as we pulled up front. The house was exactly as I pictured it. Smack in the middle of the woods with no neighbors around.

"It's wonderful!" Brie said.

"Yeah. Just like I imagined." I put down my bag and let Kiara hop out and wander around the house. I swung the bag back over my shoulder and walked toward the door. All of us popped our shoes off and Shigure slid the door open.

"Oh! You're back so soon!" I heard a high-pitched voice from inside. I looked up and saw Tohru Honda standing before me. Or rather...Tohru Sohma, holding Kiara. "Kiara, hello sweetheart!"

My heart sank at the words. I looked away.

"And you must be Brie!" Tohru said. "I'm Tohru Sohma!" She bowed before Brie and Brie hesitantly bowed back. She was still pissed about her and Yuki.

"Hi there!" she then called to me. "You must be Nicolette!" She bowed to me.

"It's Nick," I commented, gruffly. I then bowed back. "Nice to meet you." Tohru looked about 20 years old, so my guess at marrying after high school were probably on the mark.

When Kiara looked up at me, she jumped out of Tohru's arms and came to my feet, rubbing against me. At least I'm still her original Mommy in her eyes.

"It's so nice to meet you!" Tohru said. "Thank you for taking care of Kiara."

"She's my pride and joy," I said, petting her. Kiara purred.

"Hello there," said a soft voice from behind Tohru. Brie and I looked past her and saw Yuki Sohma standing there in front of us. "I'm Yuki Sohma." He bowed to Brie. "And you must be Miss Amore. Welcome," he said, smiling.

Brie neared fainted. "Hi..."

"Hey, I'm Nick," I said, introducing myself. I bowed and he bowed back.

"So you're the one, huh?" he said to me.

I cocked my head to the side. "What?"

"You'll see," he said, laughing.

Kiara went over to his leg and rubbed against him. He picked her up and kissed her head softly.

"Hello, Kiara. I've missed you, sweetheart...I love you." There was an awkward pause as his eyes welled with tears. "Now go run along now. I have to show Mommy to her room." She jumped down and trotted away.

"Allow me to show you to your rooms." Yuki picked up Brie's bag and started up the stairs. "This is Shigure's room, and this is mine and Tohru's room," he commented. "And this was my old room, but Miss Amore, you may have this one." He walked in and placed her bag down on the bed. "And this was...Kyo's old room," he said with a sigh. He walked in and gestured to the bed. "Nick-san, I'm sure you'll find this room to your liking."

"Thank you," I said. "Umm...Yuki...kun? May I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course," he said smiling.

"How old are you guys? You and Tohru I mean."

"Mrs. Sohma-kun is nineteen, and I'm eighteen. We start our second year of college in the fall. We had married and then had Kiara right after high school."

"Oh...wonderful," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Yuki chuckled. "I suppose it is very early, but it seemed right and still does," he said. "I...I just..." He looked out the window and sighed. Then he shook his head. "I'm sorry. Never mind, Miss Mente."

"Oh! It's no problem!" I said. I made a mental note of the regret in his voice.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour. Mrs. Sohma-kun's cooking is wonderful. And I set up a bed for Kiara as well," he added pointing to the pillow with blankets over it on the floor.

"Thanks, Sohma-kun." Yuki went to the door and was about to close it when he stopped. He turned his head back to face me.

"Please...find him...for all of us."

Then he turned and shut the door behind him.


	3. Chapter Three: Heartbreak

**Another reworking of the original chapter!**

**Thanks again for reading! I love you guys! :D**

**Chapter Three: Heartbreak**

I slowly became aware of the bright light shining on my face. It warmed my skin as I slowly awakened.

I moaned and threw the blankets over my head. I was _never_ a morning person. But hey,

That's what you get for being a Rat; they're nocturnal.

As I lay there, tucking the blanket in closer to my body, my mind began to wander to the previous night...

_*Flashback*_

"_Thanks, Sohma-kun." Yuki went to the door and was about to close it when he stopped. He turned his head back to face me._

"_Please...find him...for all of us."_

_Then he turned and shut the door behind him._

_*End Flashback*_

I just don't understand it all. Why does it have to be me? What does any of this have to do with me? For God's sake, they're anime characters!

Or should I say _Akito's sake?_ I laughed to myself, finding it oddly funny.

I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. If I'm destined to save Kyo, I need some answers. I need to know what happened. And why did the curse come back?

I decided I'd get ready and head to the direct source of the problem and the one person that had changed Kyo once before.

I went into my closet with my unpacked things and picked out dark blue, ripped skinny jeans with a black tank top and black high-top Converse. Then I went to the bathroom and brushed my hair and teeth before making my way downstairs.

When I got into the dining area, everyone was already sitting around the table, eating breakfast.

"Oh! Good morning, Nick-san!" Tohru called to me. "Would you like some Misu Soup? It's in the kitchen. I'll heat some up for you." Tohru stood up and made her way into the kitchen.

"Good morning," I said with a small wave.

"Good morning," they all called back to me.

Then, I headed into the kitchen.

Tohru was already at the stove, heating up the Misu Soup. I decided this would be a good opportunity to get my answers.

"Hey, Tohru?" I asked, sliding the door closed behind me.

"Oh! Nick-san! I don't need any help. You can go and sit with everyone if you'd like."

"Actually, I came in here to ask you a few things." Tohru did that usual expression of hers when she knew something was up. Her eyes widened slightly and she stopped what she was doing.

"Oh... Umm... okay."

"My first question is rather simple, I suppose." I cleared my throat. "What happened the night the curse came back?"

At this, Tohru dropped the ladle she was using on the floor. It fell with a clang, and I heard some scuffling in the other room.

"Miss Amore, Miss Mente, are you alright?" Yuki said, rushing into the room. He shut the door behind himself. "What happened?"

"Yeah, Tohru. What happened?" I asked, feeling my temper rising slightly. Yuki looked from me to Tohru and back to me again, utterly confused. Then, Tohru sighed.

"Okay... Well, I guess you have a right to know the truth...both of you." At this, Yuki's eyes widened. He still made no move to come closer to Tohru than the door.

"It happened a year ago now. It was a dark, rainy night, and all of us were here, having our graduation party."

_*Flashback*_

_I'm in the bathroom, washing off the stain on my pale pink dress. It was an accident of course, caused by Kyo. He felt bad; I could tell._

_Everyone was here. Hatori, Hatsuharu, Rin, Uo, Hana, Momiji, Kureno, Kazuma... Just to name a few. I'm so excited to have a good time! The music from the party was so loud, it was no wonder they were having fun!_

_I rubbed my dress as hard as I could, scrubbing the stain. Then I heard a knock on the bathroom door. The person didn't bother to wait and slowly creaked the door open._

"_Miss Honda, is everything alright?" Yuki walked toward me in his black suit and tie. He looked truly amazing tonight._

"_Oh! Yuki! Yes, everything's fine. I'm just trying to get this stain out..." I continued scrubbing, never looking Yuki in the eye. I felt so horrible for leaving him for Kyo. But I suppose that since with Kyo and I, it's true love, then it doesn't really matter and he'll understand, right? Plus, he has Machi!_

"_Oh, I see..." He seemed to ponder something, as if wondering whether or not to say it out loud. "Kyo did this, I suppose?"_

"_Yeah, but it's alright! It's just a little slip up, is all." I smiled at him and he responded with a smile as he always did whenever I smiled. "Umm...Yuki?"_

_He picked his head up. "Yes, Miss Honda?"_

"_I...umm... Why is that whenever I smile at you, you smile back at me, no matter what I say?"_

_Yuki's eyes widened at this and he stuttered. "Well, you see..." Yuki trailed off and then sighed. "Miss Honda, there's something I need to tell you."_

"_What is it Yuki?"_

_He looked around nervously before speaking again. "Remember when...I used to like you?" This caught me off-guard, though I still nodded. "Well, when I decided that I didn't anymore, it was because I spoke to a good friend of mine. I admitted to him that I...was only looking for a mother in you. He told me that a lot of guys look for a mother in their girlfriends, and I said that it wasn't like that. But the thing is, it only wasn't like that at the time." He sighed and shook his head. "Machi broke up with me tonight."_

_I gasped. "Oh, Yuki! I'm so sorry!" I slowly stepped over to him and hugged him. He pulled me close to him, and I could smell his distinct, sweet scent. I loved being able to be closer with him now...all of the Sohmas for that matter._

"_It's alright. We had an argument about something, and we just couldn't seem to agree on anything." He pulled away gently, but he then inched his arms around my waist. I looked up at him, slightly confused. Then he just smiled at me, with the smile that was always certain to reassure me. _

_As I always did as well, I smiled back at him. Whenever I saw that smile, I always felt comfortable, no matter what happened. But why do I feel that way? I mean, I love Kyo's smile too..._

"_Miss Honda?" he asked. His face was suddenly serious, but he was still smiling, slightly._

"_Yes, Yuki?" I asked. Then, without warning..._

_He closed the gap between us._

_Our lips collided so smoothly, it seemed as if they were meant to stay together. The way he moved with me, he was in perfect sync with my body. I had never felt like this in a kiss with Kyo before. I felt blown away, so I just followed his lead. We were in perfect harmony, like a song with a soothing melody..._

_I never wanted this one, blissful moment to end._

"_Tohru?"_

_Then, the bathroom door opened, and standing there..._

_Was Kyo._

_He was wearing the suit that I bought him. I'd saved up for it with my work money, and when graduation came, I'd had enough to pay for it. It was all black, and the collar of his white shirt underneath was unbuttoned a bit, hanging over the sides._

_Yuki and I saw him at the same time. Yuki and I pulled our lips away from each other, quickly. But the shock of moving away, lingered on my lips for a second, and I looked back to Yuki, utterly speechless._

_Then, I looked to Kyo and realized what had just happened._

_Hurt...betrayal...shock..._devastation_._

_I never thought I'd be able to see so many horrible feelings in one person's face all at once._

"_I..." I tried to speak, but I couldn't say a word. What would I say even if I could?_

"_Kyo, this isn't her fault," Yuki said. My eyes widened, as did Kyo's. Both of us were speechless as Yuki spoke. "I was the one who came up here to see what she was doing. I told her the truth about how I felt awhile ago. But then I realized that it's not just me that wants something more." He clasped his eyes shut and clenched his fists. "Tell him, Tohru! It's up to you who you want. You can't have both!" I was thrown aback by Yuki's pain. My chest ached and twisted, feeling his pain as my own. Then I looked to Kyo and saw the hurt..._

_But I didn't feel it anymore._

"_Kyo..." I whispered as softly as I could. I walked over to him a few steps and put my hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes and put his hand over mine. I saw tears fall to the floor._

"_Who... Who do you truly want, Tohru?" Kyo asked through clenched teeth. "You know I love you. You know he's loved you all this time. You have to make a choice..._NOW!" _He never once opened his eyes as the tears fell._

"_Kyo... I... I'm sorry!" I admitted it to him at last. I couldn't choose. I knew that I loved Yuki too._

"_So that's it then?" he asked. His voice was a low, hallow sound. "After everything we've been through? It's over now?"_

"_I'm sorry..."_

_Then his fists clenched._

"_Fine! I don't need you! I don't need any of you!" But rather than running off, he dropped to the floor, holding his head in pain._

"_Kyo!"_

_But then he looked up at me, and I realized what was happening._

_His pupils became narrow slits, and he cried out in pain._

"_Miss Honda, _move_!" Yuki shouted at me. He jumped at me and threw us against the wall of the hallway as Kyo's body started to grow and rip through his suit. I looked away, not wanting to see it happen. Yuki pulled me close to him, blocking Kyo's rage._

_When the transformation was finally complete, I pushed Yuki arm away and looked at Kyo._

_He looked at me with those gleaming violet eyes one last time._

_And then he disappeared._

_*End Flashback*_

By now, Yuki was holding Tohru in his arms and she cried into them long and hard. When she finally got up the courage to speak again, I listened patiently.

"That was the last time any of us ever saw him. After that, I cried for days, not doing anything at all. I felt so horrible!" She cried into Yuki's shoulder again, and now I finally understood.

She broke Kyo's heart...

And being that Kyo is the key part of the curse...

That set it loose again.


	4. Chapter Four: Eyes

**I apologize deeply for the delay in chapters.**

**I've been going through a rough time lately and I couldn't find the will to write again. But now I'm back, and I'm ready to get this story into full swing! :D**

**My plan from now on is to rotate the fanfics. After I do one, I'll do a different fanfic, and then the third and come back. This way, I can get all of the stories going at once.**

**I hope you guys like it, and reviews and PMs are appreciated! 3**

**Chapter Four: Eyes**

I hastily packed the messenger bag I brought with me. I'm leaving to do some research on where Kyo might be... and I have an idea.

"Leaving so soon?" I looked up and Shigure was leaning against the frame of the door. I went back to packing.

"Not yet. I have to do some research first. I think I might know where I can find him." I snuck a glance at him and he looked at me quizzically.

"Like...?"

A thought occurred to me. "Do you happen to know where Kyo's mother was buried?" Shigure straightened and a look of shock crossed his features for a moment before he corrected himself.

"Actually, I believe I do. More than likely she'd be buried at the family estate's cemetery. Though, I doubt he'd be there since he's banned from the Sohma estate."

"You've got a forest surrounding this place right?" I asked, pulling out my journal.

"Yes."

"Then... he may be closer than you think." I jotted down the cemetery, and asked, "Where would that be, and what was his mother's name?"

"It's about a mile from here, half a mile east of the estate," he said as I wrote. "Her name was Ren'ai Sohma."

"Thanks." I slapped the spiral notebook shut and slid it into the bag. He eyed me as I finished packing and pulled on my black leather jacket. It was light weight but kept the rain out and warmth in.

"Anything else I can do for you to help?"

"No, but thanks anyway."

I hurried out the door without a word of this to Brie.

_..._

It was raining outside.

I love the rain, so it's no problem. Kyo...not so much.

Okay, so that was an understatement.

I was about mid-day, and the sky was black with clouds. You couldn't see right in front of you for very long unless you wanted water in your eyes. So I did the smart thing and wore thick, black sunglasses.

I got to the estate in about twenty minutes. I knew the cemetery was around the back, but when I pulled up to the Sohma residence, I felt eyes on me from all sides. There was no one in sight from what I could see, but the feeling was eerie.

I walked my bike to the side of the outermost wall of the estate and rested the bike against it. I shoved my hands in my pockets and let my Converse high tops slosh through the mud as I walked.

When I turned the corner, I saw the cemetery. It was vast, and rather simple in comparison to what I'd been expecting. There was a large temple toward the back, however, assuming it was for the heads of the family that have passed on.

I squinted my eyes and saw a tall, dark figure way off in the back. I casually walked past the graves seeing the names all ending in "Sohma."

"Hello." The voice was rough but gentle. I didn't recognize the man at first. I could only see black hair beneath a skater's styled wool cap.

"Hello." We stayed quiet for a few moments as I examined the grave. It read:

"Ren'ai Sohma

Beloved wife and mother.

May you find peace in heaven at last."

"You aren't a Sohma." It was a statement, not a question.

I nodded. "I'm presuming you are."

He nodded. "I miss Kyo dearly. He had quite the temper but not as much as I." The man laughed lightly.

"Believe me...Hatsuharu...I know." He didn't seem startled at all by the knowledge of his name.

"And you are?"

"Nicolette Mente. I go by Nick. I'm the one from-"

"Akito's vision, eh?" I looked up from the grave at his face. It was sullen. "We've been waiting for you for a long time." Again, it was a fact. Not in anger, not in disappointment...a simple fact. "Kyo hasn't visited his mother's grave once since she passed away."

I looked back down at the grave. I wasn't going to give up yet.

"Have you seen anything in the forest at all?"

He shook he head, softly. "Once I felt a presence as if someone was watching me but nothing more."

"I felt that as soon as I arrived here today."

He nodded. Again, we stood in silence for a few minutes. I bowed in her honor and turned to leave.

"What do you plan on doing...?" he asked. I turned to face him again. The rain pounded on our backs hard. He held his eyes open through the rain. I pulled off my glasses. "What will you do when you find him?"

_When._

_Not if._

I replied in a single word.

"Destiny."

_..._

I walked back to the bike and started toward the woods. I decided to take the long way back in hopes of a possible search.

I knew it was a long shot considering, but it was worth a try, no matter how dangerous.

Akito's life as well as others was in my hands. If the God of the curse were to die, the next God wouldn't be born right away for fear of the curse taking hold. And without a God in the Zodiac, the ex-animals would all die.

It was up to me to save them...as well as Kiara.

I put my sunglasses back in my bag and rode slowly on a dirt path through the woods, looking around for any sign of life.

It was eerily silent other than the pounding rain.

Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning. A flock of birds came flying toward me from the right and swept just over my head. My bike skid to a stop, and I was thankful the sudden onslaught of noises didn't knock me over.

But then I heard the unmistakable sound of a tree snapping.

Before I could blink, the wind was pushed of my lungs.

I hit the ground..._hard._

My bike ended up landing on top of me with the wheel caked in mud, scraping my face up with the spokes of the tires. I felt blood ooze from above my right eye and shook my head to clear it from my face. The kickstand had wedged itself into my left calf through my now-ripped jeans and blood stained them from the inside. And then I noticed...

_I was alive._

Miraculously, I _survived._

A large branch from the tree crushed my bike in the process and I couldn't get the bike off me. I pulled and felt a burning sensation rip through my core. I knew I had to get the kick stand out of my leg before I tried to go anywhere.

I bent over and pulled back with as much force as I could as a white-hot pain like never before shot through my being. I cried out, but the kick stand was no longer lodged in my leg. The air left my lungs altogether, and I rolled over onto my back and gasped for shallow breaths...

And then I froze.

Deep, violet eyes stared straight at me through the black of the forest and rain. The eyes were harsh, as if looking for a kill. I dared not move or take another breath. But in that second, blood dripped into my eye, forcing me to blink.

And then it was gone.

Words left me as I came to grips with what it was. It had to have been that. What else could it be?

I didn't let my thoughts wander very far.

And if it was what I thought...

Was that better?

I shook my head and cleared the blood from my eye. I took off my jacket and ripped the arm of the jacket off and slid it snuggly onto my leg to stop the bleeding. With the rest of my energy, I kicked what remained of the bike off me with my right leg. It took all the energy I had to stand up, but I managed with a slight limp to make it back to the path.

Not ten seconds later, I was out-cold.

_..._

"Ugh..." I groaned at the pain as I finally came to.

"Yuki! She's waking up!" I heard a voice seemingly far away...

"Nick...Nick...get up..."

"Brie...?" My eyes fluttered open and my vision was blurry.

"You're ok!" Brie attacked me in a powerful hug, knocking the wind out of me. I coughed.

"Easy, Brie. She just woke up," Yuki said, calmly. Brie said next to where I lay and blushed. "How are you feeling Miss Mente?"

I looked around, dazed. I realized I was in my room in Yuki's house, lying on the bed. Apparently Tohru and Brie had cleaned me up and put sweatpants and a new shirt on me.

"What hit me...?"

"That's what we were wondering," Shigure spoke, softly. "Tohru found you on her way home from work about ten hours ago."

I looked over at the clock. It was about 2:30 a.m.

I thought back, remembering what happened...

The lightning...

The tree...

Those eyes...

"Nick?" Brie asked. Everyone was watching me carefully, ensuring I wasn't losing it.

"I...I'm fine." I stood slowly and looked out the window. Everyone's eyes were on me. But I knew now wasn't the time to tell them what I saw. I had to be sure first.


	5. Chapter Five: Rain

_**Basically the same chapter, just a few corrections!**_

Chapter Five: Rain

...

"What are you doing here?" Yuki said.

I walked down the stairs slowly, fully dressed, minus my jacket. I was about to head out again. But when I saw the man talking with Yuki, I paused. He turned to me when the noise of my boot touched the floor.

"Good to see you again, Nick-chan," Hatsuharu said.

I smiled. "Nice to see you."

Brie turned to me. "You know him?!" she screamed at me.

"We met yesterday... How'd you know I-?"

"The vision," Hatsuharu and Yuki simultaneously replied.

I nodded. "So then what are you doing here?"

"When I realized you were the girl from the vision, I knew I had to help best I could..." Yuki looked at him with a questioning glare. "And being a freshman in college on summer break, on top of being single again... I got a little bored."

"You and Rin-?" Yuki started.

"Yes, we broke up. And I was bored so I decided I'd like to help." He smiled at me with small smirk.

"Thanks but no thanks," I replied.

"Speaking of break-ups," Brie chimed in, "where's Hanajima?"

"That's a..." Yuki started, "...a bit of a long story..."

"How long...?" I inquired.

"As long as Shigure is a pervert and Hanajima is crazy," Hatsuharu stated, matter-of-factly.

"Hana's just taking a break from Shigure for awhile..." Tohru said politely. "It's for the best for now."

"So what...-" Brie started to ask, but Hatsuharu shot her an _off-limits_ glance.

"Yuki," I asked, "Would you mind if I borrowed your car?"

"Not at all. Do you have a license?"

"Yeah, just got it."

"I'll go with you," Hatsuharu suggested.

I hesitated.

"Do you know your way around Japan?"

I sighed. "Fine. It's my only option I suppose."

"I'm coming this time too," Brie added.

"This will be a ride to remember..." Hatsuharu said. I face-palmed. Brie giggled.

"Let's go," I said walking to the door.

"Wait," Yuki called to me. He hurried back into the room, handing me a light leather jacket. "It was Kyo's... I figured it's more of your style, and maybe he'll see it...and wonder..." He trailed off.

"Thanks Yuki." We got into the silver Honda Sonata. I jumped into the driver's seat and started up the car. "Sweet."

_..._

As usual, it was raining outside, and we'd been driving for about five minutes when I stopped the car. The tree was still on the ground where it was when it crushed my bike. We all got out.

"Why stop here?" he asked.

"This was where I was nearly crushed yesterday..." I scanned the ground around the tree. "The rain must've washed it away."

"Washed what away?" Brie asked.

"Animal tracks."

"What kind of animal tracks...?" Brie started. I saw Hatsuharu's mind working.

"When I was riding back home, lightning struck the tree next to me and it started to fall. The next thing I knew, the air was pushed out of my lungs and I was on the ground next to the tree."

"You think Kyo saved you." Hatsuharu stated. A statement, not a fact.

"That's why you acted to weird when you came to!" Brie yelled.

"But I can't be sure yet. I don't know if it really was him. But-"

"But what?!" Brie yelled.

"I saw...these piercing violet eyes in the trees right before I fainted." I thought for a minute.

"You know where he might have stopped," he added.

"Get in the car."

_..._

We all got out and rang the bell on the porch.

"Go away!" called a voice from inside.

"Can we just have a minute, sir?" I called back.

"No!"

"Kazuma, please!" Hatsuharu called.

"Hatsuharu...?"

"It's about Kyo! We might have a lead on where he is!"

Slowly, Kazuma Sohma slid the door open. His hair, rather than in a loose ponytail was un-brushed and tangled, and he had clearly not shaven for a few weeks.

"Hello," I said with a bow. Brie followed. "I'm Nicolette Mente. You can call me Nick. And this is my friend Brie. I'm the girl-"

"From the vision... Come in, come in! You must be cold." He slid the door shut behind us as we took off our shoes. "Would you like some tea? Come sit around the table." We all sat as he poured the tea.

"Thank you, sir," I said, taking a small sip. "We came here to ask a few questions."

"Yes, yes...go ahead, ask away." He sat down across from me and poured some for himself.

"Has Kyo ever...visited his mother's grave...?" I asked slowly. He stopped drinking his tea and set the cup down.

"Once...many years ago. He vowed to visit her again when he was truly happy. That day...hasn't come yet."

I jotted down some notes. "When was the last time-?"

"One year ago. The night of the graduation party."

"And what happened exactly?"

"It was just before he went upstairs and saw Tohru... He spoke to me."

_*Flashback*_

"_Dad..." Kyo's voice was hard to hear over the loud music._

"_Kyo! My boy..." I gripped him into a tight hug. It was unexpected, and Kyo stiffened, then relaxed._

"_I spilled some punch on Tohru's dress... I feel really bad."_

"_Ah, don't worry too much. Tohru's a sweet girl. She forgives you, I'm sure."_

"_But Dad..." he started. He paused, then whispered, "I don't... I don't feel right tonight... Something's wrong."_

"_What are you talking about? You and I are going to have the best dojo in Japan! And someday, it'll belong to you!"_

_He looked up at me, a tear started in his eye. "You mean it?"_

"_Of course I do! Who better to leave it to than you?"_

_He smiled, and then stiffened. "Really though... Something is wrong..." He looked around, almost frightened by something._

"_Where did Tohru go?" I asked, trying to change the subject. I just wanted him to be happy on the night of the party._

"_She's upstairs, cleaning her dress... Dammit, I'm so stupid! I should help her!"_

"_Go help her. And Kyo..."_

"_Yeah Dad?"_

"_I'm proud of you."_

_Kyo gave me a smile and turned away to go upstairs._

_*End Flashback*_

"That was the last time I saw him."

I nodded in sympathy. I truly felt sorry for Kazuma. He tried to do the right thing for Kyo and it ended up like this. "I'm truly sorry, sir."

He sighed. "It's alright. Kyo will come back. Everything will turn out just fine." He smiled, but Brie and I looked at each other. "Yes," he continued, "I am well aware of the return of the curse as well."

"Thank you," Hatsuharu said, "We appreciate the help, and the fine tea." The three of us bowed and he bowed back.

"It was a pleasure having company. Stop by any time."

As we walked out to the car, we pulled our jackets over our heads while the rain poured. It was hard to see, and we ran quickly through the mud.

Then I heard a growl.

I turned and in the blink of an eye, I saw something _huge,_ and _fast_, sprint through the woods.

"Guys!" I yelled ahead of me. But Hatsuharu and Brie couldn't hear me; the rain was pouring too hard.

I tried to run and catch up, but the ground was muddy and slippery, and after a few seconds of running, I fell into the mud, catching myself on my hands and knees... But I felt the ground rumble under the weight of something huge nearby.

I tried to stand up, to run to the car but it was useless. With my leg already bandaged and having little strength left, I collapsed onto the floor again. I cried out in pain when the cut on my leg opened again. Finally, I squinted and thought I saw Brie turn around. But the rumbling nearby was getting louder and shook the ground. I closed my eyes, fighting back the pain.

When I opened my eyes...

I saw purple eyes, staring into mine.

Another cry of pain.

I blacked out.


	6. Chapter Six: Cave

**It's a new chapter and a whole new ballgame!**

**So who's excited to see it? ;)**

**But before we get on with it, just a quick note:**

**I have some new story ideas, and I'd love for everyone reading to go to the poll on my profile and tell me which one you wanna see next.**

**I also would like to inform everyone about my twitter account (with very little followers) that will keep everyone updated on when I'm posting new chapters, upcoming stories, art for my characters, etc. It is open for anyone to follow.**

**With the summer coming, I'm happy to announce that all stories will be updated more frequently over the summer. As the school year comes to a close, it'll be difficult to post, but in my spare time I will, so please bare with me.**

**And so, the story continues!**

Chapter Six: Cave

I groaned.

Slowly, my eyes started to flutter open. My back felt sore from leaning on something hard. There was a bright light shining from my left and I squinted against it. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

I was in a small cave. The entrance to the cave was where the bright light was coming from. But when I heard the sound of rushing water, I realized the sun's rays were being reflected through a small waterfall.

In front of me was a small campfire with stones around it and a small blaze. In the back of the cave to my right was a pool of crystal clear water. I looked down and saw that I was lying in a pile of leaves with my back to the wall of the cave. I looked down at myself to see that the gash on my leg was wide open with dried blood around the edges. The leg of my jeans on the right was gone from the knee down. My entire body was caked in mud. I knew the cut would get infected if I didn't do something fast.

I tried standing up, but fell when I did it too fast. I pressed my hand to the wall of the cave and with the other hand, dragged my injured right leg off the cave floor.

I slowly walked...well, limped, to the edge of the cave and looked down. I was standing on a small ledge about 30 feet in the air with only a narrow path that led to the bottom. But with my injured leg, there was no way I'd make it to the bottom without falling.

I sighed and dragged myself to the back of the cave. I dipped my hands into the cool water and washed the mud off them.

I lowered my leg into the water.

It was the loudest cry of pain I'd heard myself make. It stung worse than anything I'd felt before. I bit my lip and slowly rubbed the blood off the edges of gash as well as cleaning the dirt out of the wound.

When I finished, I lifted my leg out of the water and washed my face. I took off my muddy jacket and dipped it into the water. I dragged myself back to the pile of leaves and laid my jacket out next to the fire hoping to dry it.

I fell asleep.

_..._

I woke up suddenly when I started to fell shivers along my spine. It was cool out, but not cold. The cave was dark, only lit by the campfire and outside, the sky was black with millions of stars.

I noticed that there was a fish on the floor of the cave, but I left it, thinking it was only my imagination and my hunger. I didn't have the slightest idea when I'd eaten last or how long I'd been there.

I fell asleep.

_..._

When I woke up again, it was early in the morning, with the sun pouring light into the cave. It must have just risen.

When I looked around, I saw the fish laying there from the night before and guessed that I hadn't just imagined it.

I picked it up and put it on a stone beside the campfire, hoping to cook it enough to eat it.

I looked to the back of the cave again and stared at the water. I sighed and knew what I had to do.

I slowly but carefully took off my wet jeans and underwear and laid them out next to the fire. I felt my jacket and luckily, it was dry. So I took off my shirt and bra, socks and converse, and laid them out too. I dragged myself to the back of the cave and slid into the water, cringing on the way in.

The water was cool on my skin and felt nice other than the blistering pain of the gash. It was duller than the day before, but it still burned.

I washed every ounce of blood and mud off my body and out of my hair. It felt good to be clean again.

After the bath, I laid there for a minute wondering how I'd gotten here and how I wasn't dead yet. But I shook the thought.

I slowly pulled myself out of the water, shivering, and said by the fire, drying myself off. The fish was cooked, and I ripped off the skin and scales. I ate it like a chicken leg, straight off the bone. But it felt warm in my stomach and it helped ease the dull pain in my stomach.

My clothes weren't anywhere near dry, so instead, I took my jacket and wrapped it tightly around my body, and tucked my legs into it and slept next to the fire.

_..._

That night, I slept straight through. I felt well rested but I was still achy and sore.

I looked around and noticed five more fish on the floor of the cave. Next to me was a brown, wool blanket. But it looked warm and thick.

Then I looked to the pile of leaves.

There was a _huge_ indentation made in the middle of the large pile, and that's when I knew who... or _what_ had been looking out for me.

I crawled over to my clothes and put them back on. They were dry and somewhat warm. They felt good on my slightly chilled skin.

I took another fish and left it by the fire.

I rubbed my face with my hand and yawned. I stood up slowly and took the blanket. I laid it out on the floor next to the fire, and folded it in half as a bed for myself at night. I lie down on my back on the blanket and finally felt comfortable. I stared at the ceiling of the cave and wondered if there was a plan to all of this... or if someone was looking for me out there.

When I stopped daydreaming, I took the scales and such off the fish and ate it the same way I did before.

_..._

That night, I bathed again and sat by the fire until I was dry. By that time, night had just settled in and I put my clothes back on.

I lay down on the blanket again and cooked another fish. I hoped that there would be more in the morning. It was late by now, and slowly tried to fall asleep.

_..._

About a week had passed, and I had woken up from a nightmare...

But it was a nightmare that was actually a reality. I tried not to think about it.

I looked for my usual breakfast, lunch and dinner of fish and saw that there were a few next to me, but there was one already cooking, and I could have sworn I hadn't put it there last night. I turned to look at the back of my cave...

And there was my answer.

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter Seven: Meeting

Chapter Seven: Meeting

Kyo.

The True Form.

The two thoughts were the only things running through my head. It was him.

He was here.

In the True Form.

I tried to sit up and groaned. And when I did, he turned to face me and we locked eyes. His were wide and a deep violet. He wasn't afraid but surprised, I guessed.

He bolted for the exit.

I was knocked over by the sheer power of him and slammed into the cave wall. "Wait!" I called out, pushing myself to stand up. I got on two feet and limped toward the exit as fast as I could.

I looked down and saw him on a ledge nearby. I was afraid...but I was afraid of losing him, not facing him.

"_Kyo!"_

He stopped. I was breathing heavy now. I wasn't sure whether he would attack me, run, or what. All I knew was that he didn't want to be here. And we were alone.

"Kyo...please come back." His long, green ears perked up and I knew he was listening. "I want to help you!"

He didn't move and his ears went down. I could tell he was listening...maybe thinking about it. I couldn't get a feel for him yet.

He slowly turned his head, not looking at me. "Please, Kyo. I just want to help you. I want to help _you._" He looked up at me and we locked eyes. I stood there, nearly shaking. I was sure he could sense my nerves. But he knew I was determined and turned his whole body toward me. "I _will _help you. I promise."

He climbed up higher again and followed me slowly back up to the cave. I backed myself against one wall of the cave, offering the bed of leaves to him. Once I sat, he came up over the side of the cave and climbed up. He watched me for a second and then moved toward the bed of leaves. I watched him as he spun and laid down in the leaves, almost like a dog. The fire was small and smoking slightly between us. But he kept his eyes on me, and they bore into me.

"You don't know me," I started. My voice was a little calmer now but wavered. "I'm Nicolette Mente, but my friends call me Nick..." I trailed off, trying to find the words. "I was summoned to Japan by Akito... You can probably tell by my American accent. Akito had a vision after you...left, and they sent me because-"

"Stop."

I stopped.

Kyo had spoken to me through the True Form. His mouth didn't move but the voice was there in the cave. It was echoed but not by the cave itself. It was by the True Form, and it gave it a demonic sound.

"You can't help me."

I thought for a minute about what to say. I ignored the fact that he could talk and treated him like a person best I could. "If you think you're so lost in this form, then why would you help me stay alive in this cave? And why would you take me away in the first place?"

He stuttered. "I...I don't know. Something in me, the monster, sensed something about you. I acted on...some kind of instinct. The monster wanted you. So I took you."

The thought sent a chill down my spine. What would it want me _for?_

"Once I realized I needed you, a new instinct came over to kill you. And I didn't think I could control it. So I stayed away from you...to protect you."

"But why stay away from me when you could've just been done with me?"

"Because I couldn't have the blood on my hands!" he screamed and then growled. "That's the monster in me! Not me!"

I paused, letting him calm down. "You're not a monster. It just lives inside of you. You just need an army to help fight it."

"No!" he roared. "It's a part of me!"

"Kyo," I said, slowly. Using his name seemed to calm him down. "You've been hurt. I want to help you."

He roared loud and stood up. "No! I can't be helped!"

I held my ground. "Yes! Yes, you can be!" I was shaking now, sitting there.

"_I can't!" _ he roared. He was getting angry. But I didn't give up.

"Yes! I _will _help you!" He just stopped and stared at me. Something I said must have gotten to him.

"I'm hopeless."

"You're not."

"I can only control myself sometimes. But when I have an instinct to kill, I become unstoppable."

"And there it is."

"There's what?"

"Hope."

He paused. "No."

"Yes."

"You're not giving up, are you?"

"Nope." I folded my arms.

He rolled his eyes at me. "You're stubborn."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"And...?"

He sighed.

"I'm going to help you."

"Good luck."

"I will."

He turned away.

"There's hope."

"You really think you can try to help me...? Even though I'm like...this?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Fine...I guess I'll try." I smiled at him.

"And that...is the first step." He sighed again. "So you're the one that's been bringing the fish, huh?"

"Yeah... I come up here and check on you whenever you sleep."

"Wait... _every_ time I've slept...?" He was quiet. I felt my cheeks flush. "Well this is awkward..."

"I didn't really see anything," he said. I pictured him rubbing the back of his neck in his human form. "I just made sure you were alright."

"Thanks..." I said slowly.

There was a pause and we just sat there for a few minutes.

"Nick?"

I looked up at him.

"Thank you."

I smiled at him. "No thanks needed. That's what I'm here for." He put his head down, thinking, I guessed.

"Do you want some fish? I cooked it for you. I figured you'd be hungry."

"Yeah, thank you." He crawled closer, to the fire between us. I backed up slightly, out instinct.

"See? Even you can't stay near me." He tended the fire and then ripped the scales right off the fish with a swipe of his claws.

"I'm sorry. I'm not afraid you, I just... I don't know how to respond to it, I guess."

"Don't be sorry. I'd be afraid too."

"But I'm not-"

"Sure you're not."

"I'm _not!"_ I shouted. "I want to help you!"

"That doesn't mean you're not afraid... I'm afraid." He held out his claws with the fish skewered on one claw. I slowly reached over and pulled it off.

"I'm going to change that," I insisted. "Nice cooking by the way," I said, biting a piece off.

"It's basic. I can't cook anything other than rice balls."

"Neither can I," I said with a laugh. He didn't smile but he got quiet. I guessed he thought it was ironic. "You're not gonna eat anything?"

"No," he said. "I went hunting a few hours ago." A chill went down my spine but I covered it up. I pitied whatever it was that he got to.

"Alright."

"Are you tired?" he asked, politely. It wasn't sexual or sly in any way. He was just being... well... nice.

"No, I'm actually feeling a lot better now. Thanks." I paused. "I wanted to take a bath later, but I don't have to..."

"No, I'll leave, it's-"

"Don't leave!" I felt a panicked knot in my stomach.

"No, I meant for a few minutes so you can bathe. I'd go hunting or something."

"Oh...alright."

"I can bring you something other than fish if you want."

"I..."

"No, I meant real food."

"Oh...yeah, thank you."

"What do you like?"

"Anything."

"No, really."

"I like anything."

"Also, I'll bring something Japanese. Welcome to Japan." Finally, he smirked.

I smiled back.


	8. Chapter Eight: Help

**Sorry for the major delay in chapters lately! I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing at least once a week and it's not going so smoothly XP**

**Thanks for staying with the story everyone!**

**Chapter Eight: Help**

My eyes fluttered open and I sighed deeply. I was well rested from a long nap for once. The past few days had been uneventful. I told Kyo a little bit about my life at home, skimming as much as I could. He didn't open up as much as I would have liked either, but we were getting somewhere, I was sure.

I sat up and looked down at the fire, seeing..._food._

There was bread, peanut butter, a knife and water bottles. There were also a few rice balls cooking on stones next to the fire.

I pounced on it.

"Someone's hungry." I turned, my mouth full of peanut butter and bread and see Kyo crawling into the entrance of the cave. He laughed at me.

"Maybe you can live on fish for a long time, but I need some real food..." I made another sandwich and gulped down some water.

"I don't eat _real _food anymore." I paused, spreading the rest of the peanut butter slowly. I stopped and held out the sandwich to Kyo. He shook his head. "The idea of the taste disgusts me now." I lowered my hand. "Animal-like, I know."

"No pun intended?" I smirked, and I heard a faint groan deep in his throat, like his was amused.. I looked down at the sandwich. "Maybe... Maybe you should try it." I held it out to him again. His eyes flashed. I could tell he wanted it. But not the sandwich...he wanted to feel human again. "Go on."

He crawled over to me slowly and reached for it with his claws. I placed the sandwich down and he skewered it on one finger. He put it to his snout, sniffed it, and finally threw the whole thing into his mouth. At first, he winced, trying to adjust to the taste. But then, slowly, he enjoyed it. He grunted cheerfully.

"See?" I asked as I make another. "I think you just need to fall back into the habit of acting human and maybe you can help yourself go in that direction again."

He put his head down and averted his gaze.

"Come on, I'm serious. I think if you believe it, you can do it." I stopped for a second and just watched him sit there, chewing. I shook my thoughts away. "You have a strong will. I can see that in you."

"What makes you so sure?" His voice was a mere whisper, hardly loud enough to hear. It was the quietest I'd heard him spoke since we met.

"Because... I've had my fair share of rough times..." I spared him a glance and he was looking at me quizzically. "But when you have friends to help you along, and when you believe in yourself, you can change for the better."

"That sounds like a load of crap."

"Well it's true..." I trailed off, feeling slightly embarrassed. I slowly lowered my sandwich. I hadn't felt this out of my shell since...

"You may think you're helping, but you're not." He said, cutting my mind off. "I'm gonna be this...this _monster _forever." He groaned in disgust.

"Look," I started, putting down the sandwich, "I enjoy helping others. It makes me feel better about myself. It's like I'm giving some hope back to the world. "Something felt off. I knew he didn't mean to offend me. He was just...lost. "I help people. I want to make things better for you. But-"

"Well then you suck at it because you're too blind to realize I'm not a _person!" _ He stood up on all fours and roared but not loud enough to hurt my ears...yet. "Who the _hell _do you think you are?! YOU. CAN'T. FIX. ME!"

"It's not about _fixing_, Kyo! It's about learning to be yourself again! Have a little faith!" I felt myself get louder and regained control before I lost it.

"What _faith?! What FUCKING faith?! HUH?!" _ He roared louder and clenched his eyes shut. "_LOOK AT ME!"_

My hands and legs shook, but I stood up anyway. "I am looking at you now, Kyo. I'm really looking at you. And what I see is someone strong that's been through so much, struggling his whole life."

"_I DON'T NEED YOU!" _he roared, inching closer to me. I held my stance and looked him straight in the eye.

"I want to be there for you. I want you to see that not everyone is horrible."

"_OH REALLY?! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME! I LOVED HER!" _I picked up on the past tense he used. "_I THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING!"_

"You do..." I trailed off. I hesitated, but then I took a step closer. "You have me. I want to show you that you can trust me."

"_WHY?! ALL I DO IS HURT PEOPLE AND GET HURT BY PEOPLE!"_ He roared louder this time, forcing my hands to press against my ears.

I yelled this time. "_Because I care about you!"_

"_YOU'RE LYING!" _Tears streamed down his face and hit the cave floor.

"_I'm not! I swear to you, I'm NOT!" _I felt tears well up in my eyes. I forced them back. "_I want...to help you! Don't you see that?! I care about you!"_

"_BULLSHIT! YOU WERE SENT HERE TO SAVE ME! AND FOR WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO FIND HERE?!"_

I considered my words before I spoke. "...You."

Kyo's eyes widen as he stared at me, perplexed. He didn't understand the meaning in what I was saying... But I guess I didn't understand either.

He roared again in frustration and slammed himself down on the floor of the cave. The floor shook, knocking me on my back. I groaned a little, but I kept trying to look at him. He continued screaming for awhile as I held my ears with my hands, rearing up and slamming to the floor again. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. As I watched him, it was like I felt everything he did. The pain...frustration with himself...the thoughts running wild... All of this came flooding back to me because I knew exactly what that all felt like.

Finally, I stood up as he roared again. "_KYO, STOP!" _I ran over to him and clung to his arm, without a second thought. I gripped his arm for dear life, hoping... wishing... he would calm down. It was the tensest hug I'd ever had.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. But suddenly, I was lifted into the air, gripping Kyo's arm, and shaken around like a ragdoll. He tried to shake me off, as if shaking water off his hands. I just kept holding on.

"_I WON'T LET YOU GO!" _I was panicking, but I had to get control of my breathing and stay calm. _"Kyo, STOP!"_

Finally, after what felt like forever, Kyo stopped shaking his arm. Just then, I felt a huge paw on my back. I let go of his arm and collapsed back into his paw. My head was pounding, and I thought I was going to pass out. But I didn't; I fought to stay conscious as I started crying.

He set me down on the floor, where I sat on my legs, completely breaking down. I cried in my hands, my body shaking with sobs.

Then, I felt a hot breath move my hair away from my face. I slowly lowered my hands to see Kyo's face right in front of me.

I stared into his violet eyes as he saw straight through me. My hard demeanor had been completely shattered. I knew then...

"Nick...?"

He was my weakest point.

I moved my hands away and held his chin in my left hand, petting the top of his head with my right. His smooth skin was soft under my touch. He closed his eyes and I heard his voice...rough but calm.

"I'm...I'm so sor-." I cut him off by gripping his head a little tighter.

"Don't." I didn't say it was okay for once in my life. We both knew it wasn't a good sign. But something told me that it wasn't going to happen again. Somehow...some way... I trusted him with my life.

I leaned closer, allowing myself to kiss the top of his head. I felt the skin under my lips smooth and soft, not hard or scaly like he appeared at all. His skin was cold, even then. I figured that maybe he couldn't help it... Or maybe his feelings were even more confused than mine.

I pulled away slowly, treasuring the calm moment. When I stepped back, we locked eyes for a second before I turned away.

"Nick."

I looked over my shoulder.

Our eyes connected for what felt like forever. I got lost for awhile. What I didn't tell him was that if I couldn't help him, I'd be angry at myself again...

"We should get to bed." I stated, walking away again. He breathed deeply as I turned.

"Yeah... You must be..." He trailed off.

"Nick..." he called softly. I didn't turn around.

But I also felt like he was helping me, somehow...

"I'm sor-"

"Kyo-"

"Please, let me-"

"No."

"Why can't I ap-?"

"I don't want it. I'm here to help you. I don't want you to be angry with yourself." I folded my arms, gripping my elbows for support, never looking back at him.

He breathed deeply again. I gripped my arms tighter, biting my bottom lip. "I want you to know that I truly mean it... even if you won't let me say it. You know how I feel." I heard him crawl to his corner of the cave.

A tear fell on the floor in front of me.

_But I'm afraid of how I feel..._


	9. Chapter Nine: Truth

**I know it's been awhile since a new chapter came out! I apologize greatly! But I do have good news! I've been re-doing a lot of the older chapters of my fanfics to make them a lot better, including this one! I completely rewrote the first two chapters and I hope that you all will go back and check it out. I personally enjoy them a lot more now!**

**On with the chapter! (Think of one of my favorite songs, "Young and Beautiful" for this one guys!)**

**Chapter Nine: Truth**

My eyes slowly flutter open. When I fully wake up, I try to sit up and groan in pain. The night before was intense, and I felt like crap.

The day was dark and it poured along with the occasional clap of thunder and strike of lightning. I looked over at Kyo who was sleeping, so I slowly pushed myself off the floor and stumbled my way over the spring at the back of the cave. I glanced over at Kyo, still sound asleep. I slowly pulled off my shirt and bra, slipping out of my jeans and underwear and placing them on a rock. I tap the water with my toe and as gently as possible, I lower myself in. I sit on a rock at the bottom and breathe a long, relieved sigh.

The water was warm against my aching body, and I leaned my head back against the edge, closing my eyes.

Suddenly, I heard claws scrambling on the other side of the cave, and my eyes snapped open, and I jumped back in surprise with the realization that Kyo was awake. I looked over, and he was already running out of the cave.

I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding with a shudder. I quickly came out and wrung out my hair, throwing my clothes back on.

"Kyo?" I called out. "I'm sorry! You can come back now!"

One paw reached the edge of the cave, and he sheepishly crawled back in. If lizard-monsters could blush, he would have been.

"I'm sorry!" he said hurriedly. "I swear, I didn't see anything!"

I blushed. "Kyo, it's alright. Even if you did, it doesn't matter." I walked back over to the fire, holding my hands out to the flame.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you..." he trailed off.

It was uncomfortably quiet for a long moment.

"Can I ask you something?" he looked at me, sincerely.

"Uh... Yeah, sure," I said, awkwardly rubbing my arm.

"Why did you call yourself a monster?" I stopped cold. "You mentioned something about it."

I closed my eyes and turned my head. "You don't want to know."

He paused. "I do, but I won't force you." He sighed. "I care."

My heart clenched.

"I care about everyone. I care and I don't show it." I looked up at him and he was looking at the floor. "I'm never cared _for_."

I looked at him staring into something that wasn't there. I walked over to him and touched his paw gently. He looked at me, and I looked back at him. I gently lifted his paw and stroked it in my two hands. "I care."

His eyes were wide and shook as he watched me.

"Tohru doesn't."

"She does. She really cares that you're gone."

"I _hate _Tohru."

I stopped stroking his paw.

He shook with a rage that knocked the breath from my lungs. He breathed heavily and violently shaking with the effort to control himself. I stroked his paw again and he slowly shuddered a calmed down breath. I didn't want to be the first one to speak though.

"Do you want to know?" I continued to stroke his hand as he looked down at me. "Do you _really_ want to know why I left?"

I looked down and whispered. "I do."

_*Flashback*_

It was 4:00 and the party was supposed to begin in an hour. The ceremony was beautiful, and Tohru looked stunningly perfect in her mint green gown. She wore an apron over it as she quickly cooked for the evening. Everyone was to be there: all of her friends and the entire Sohma family. She was hastily working in part due to nerves and the other part because of who she needed most.

"Kyo?" Tohru called gently out of the kitchen. He came running down the hall. "Would you mind helping me with the riceballs?" She giggled. "I can never seem to get them perfect the way you do."

He smiled gently at the girl. "Of course."

They stood next to each other in comfortable silence for a long time. When Kyo finished with the riceballs, he stepped closer to Tohru.

"Tohru..." he whispered her name as soothingly as he could muster. It was enough to make her sigh. He moved behind her and ran his fingertips along her small torso to her waist before kissing her ever-so softly on the neck.

"Umm-I-...yes? Kyo?" she stammered. She had never had a boyfriend before, never mind a love as strong as this. They both knew they were meant to be together, but all the same, he made her a little nervous.

The house was quiet. Yuki went to the grocery store with Machi, and Shigure was buying party decorations. They were completely alone.

"I just want to tell you..." he said pausing, twirling a strand of hair in his fingers, "how beautiful you are."

"Oh, Kyo...!" she giggled with joy and embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you so much!"

"I have to ask you something." He said it suddenly, his voice completely serious now. She turned to face him, wonder in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

He smiled. "Nothing is wrong, Tohru. But I want to ask you something very serious... very important... for both of us."

She hesitated, looking down for a moment. She cocked her head to the side, her eyes wide.

The boy held out a hand to her. "We can touch now," he says, gently. She smiles and places her small hand in his slim yet muscular one. "We can truly be _together._"

The girl smiles up at him innocently and hugs her face into his chest. "I know! I'm so happy! Kyo... you make me so happy."

He blushes with embarrassment and amusement all at once.

"Well... what I meant is that we can be together in _any _way we want to be."

Tohru's body went ridgid, but she didn't remove her embrace. "Oh..." her voice barely audible.

Kyo pulled her gently in front of him to look her in the eyes. "Tohru Honda. I love you. I love you more than anything. You've made me whole. You gave me a second chance. And I want you to know that. I want to express my deepest love and desire for you."

She stared up at him, still not knowing quite what to say. Since she was young, her mother had always taught her to wait. _"Wait Tohru. Wait for the one. When you find him, you'll just...know. Like your father and I." _Her mother would smile at her, bliss with happiness. _"He may not be here to help guide you, but here is my advice to you. Love holds no bounds. If he's the one, and you know it in your heart, don't let him go."_

"I know how difficult this decision is," Kyo whispered, to soften his words... for the words to hold his sincerity. "I love you, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or forced or overwhelmed, but I-"

"Kyo...?" Tohru said his name in the form of a question.

He blinked. "Yeah-I mean...yes?"

"Does it hurt?" Kyo had to stifle his laughter. He doubled over, holding his ribs. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Did I say something wrong? What did I do?!"

"No, no! Tohru, relax." She stopped flailing around. "It was the most adorable question I'd ever heard."

Tohru blushed. "Oh...is it?"

"I promise, I won't hurt you." He held his hand out to her again. "This isn't binding. If you don't want to at any point, you can tell me."

She stared at his hand.

"But just know that I love you."

She took his hand in hers.

"I love you, too." Her voice was quiet. "I trust you."

The boy smiled, knowing that this was their shining moment together.

"I trust you, too."

_*End Flashback*_

I sat there in silence when he finished the story. I realized that it was his first time, too. I had tears in my eyes.

"Tohru is beautiful." Kyo sighed, clenching his eyes shut. He spoke through his teeth, "I loved her."

_But she didn't love you back... _

We sat there in silence together for a long time. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He poured his heart and soul into her, and she betrayed him. It would have been one thing if she had just kissed Yuki, and it was a misunderstanding. But they were _married._...with a _child._"

I shook my head and scoffed.

"_What_?!" he hissed.

"You're right. Why would you have any desire to revert back to a human when they're so disgusting?"

"You're human!" he yelled. "Why would you have any right to say that?!"

"Because I was there, too _Kyo!"_

Kyo stopped cold.

"I was betrayed. I know what that feels like." I took a shuttering breath. "That's why I'm here. That's why I'm the only one that can save you."

Now it was his turn to scoff. "You're not the only one that's ever been betrayed or lied to. What makes _you_ so special?"

_Because I'm falling in love with you._

"I don't know." I said it quietly. I didn't know what else to say. I did know now. That was why. Akito was playing goddamn matchmaker.

But he was right.

"We're meant to help each other, one way or another," I said, defiant now. "And I'm here because I'm not giving up on you!"

"_What makes you think you can help me_?!"

"Why couldn't I?!"

Kyo narrowed his eyes at me, seven feet off the ground. I just glared back.

"I'm not afraid of you, your problems or what you look like!" I screamed. I couldn't control myself. "I'm not even bothered by your scent! No one else could stand you! Everyone else was afraid of you in your darkest hour! And here I am, trying to save your sorry ass, you don't even give a damn!" I grabbed my bag and stuffed the blanket into it, walking to the exit.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!"

"To find my own help." I walked out of the cave and looked out through the rushing waterfall. I made a motion to jump.

"Don't go." I turned and looked up at Kyo, gripping my arm. It hurt, but not enough to cause immense pain.

"Why shouldn't I?! I yelled again. I couldn't help it. The tears were ready to fall.

"Because..."

"_Why?!" _The tears started to roll down my cheeks. "_WHY CAN'T I GO?!"_

He looked down. I couldn't stand how he kept his cool when I had fought to keep mine the entire time I was with him, only breaking to prove a point once in awhile. And now the tables had turned.

He just looked at me. He _really _looked at me. I was still crying, trying to pull my arm away. I couldn't bare it any longer. "_LET ME GO!"_

My hand slipped free from his grasp as the lightning struck.

And I fell.

I knew I would die. I was falling backwards, screaming loud enough to not recognize my agonized fear, into the waterfall. The water swallowed me whole, and the air left my lungs.

I hit the pool below, but as I broke the surface, there was a roar so loud, my ears felt as if they were shattering.

Something broke my fall.

My eyes clenched shut as I gasped for air. I choked on the water and coughed it up.

Then I opened my eyes.

"_Nick..._"

My breath caught.

He was the one that saved me.

"_Kyo..._"

That was the true meaning of the Curse of the Cat.

He had to be the savior...not the saved.

His orange hair was sopping wet as I looked up into his fire-red eyes. There was sincerity in them that the tears falling on my face, mixed with the rain, spoke the words he couldn't find.

His bare arms were warm around my small frame, and his torso glowed with an angelic radiance I couldn't begin to describe.

He had me. He saved me.

Thunder clashed in the sky with a strike of lightning.

"I love you."

We spoke in perfect unison. We smiled so big, we laughed. We were in perfect sync.

And when his lips pressed against mine with a passion so ignited as his, I felt it. I knew this was happiness.

This was love.

He tackled me into the water.

**Are you surprised? Are you happy? Shocked? Disappointed?**

**Fear not! This isn't even half the story!**

**Will they go back? Live on their own? What will Tohru and Yuki think? Is the curse really gone?**

**Stay tuned!**


End file.
